Browsing by Author "Van Kent, Samuelia"

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    Association of Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) 16 and 18 in breast cancer biopsies in Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2018) Mumbengegwi, Davis R.; Van Kent, Samuelia; Tambo, Munyaradzi
    Cancer is a growing global health concern due to increased exposure to risk factors including infection by viruses such as human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is associated with several cancers and may be an etiological agent contributing to increasing breast cancer cases in Namibia. This study investigated the association between HPV infection and breast cancer cases in Namibia. DNA was isolated from 47 breast tumour biopsies, (22 breast cancer positive and 25 negative) and analysed for HPV 16 and 18 sequences using PCR. HPV 16 and 18 were detected in 86.3 % and 81.8 % respectively, of breast cancer positive samples, whilst only 36 % and 48 % respectively, were found in breast cancer negative samples. In total 95.5 % of breast cancer positive samples were infected by at least either of HPV 16 or 18 compared to only 52 % of breast cancer negative samples. Infection with HPV 16 or 18 increases the risk of cervical cancer and possibly breast cancer, hence the results suggest that HPV may contribute to the increasing breast cancer statistics in Namibia. This is the first study in Namibia linking HPV and breast cancer, but a larger sample size will be required to power the study to make the findings statistically significant.